


Revenge of the Butterfly

by MadBanana



Category: Madama Butterfly - Puccini/Illica/Giacosa, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Allura is a cop here like ooooh, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Based on Madama Butterfly's sad ending, Bittersweet Ending, Blood and Violence, Both Keith and Lance are bisexual, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk is a psychology major, I made Pidge a bitch here and I'm not sorry, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Keith became an assassin, Keith is 21 three years later, Lance is 20, Lance is a gun sass, M/M, Mystery, One-Sided Relationship, Past Character Death, Pidge Is Called Katie, Pidge and Coran are theater geeks, Pidge is 18, Polyamory, Pretty angsty and dark, Shiro is in coma I'm sorry, Underage Sex, for science
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 08:13:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14397951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadBanana/pseuds/MadBanana
Summary: When Ciocio-san killed herself, her child with Pinkerton, Dolore, vowed to avenge his mother by bringing torment upon Pinkerton's family. But in exchange, misfortune also fell upon Ciocio-san's clan. It was said that only mended love between her and Pinkerton can break the curse, but it took two centuries before both souls could finally achieve peace and find each other again.A made-up sequel of one of Giacomo Puccini's famous opera, set in modern era. A tale of a century-old revenge for shamed love seeking for a second chance. The Mad Banana's first-ever (and possibly, only) Klance (smutty) story in five acts -- with bonus art (found on Tumblr)





	1. Act One

**Author's Note:**

> It started when I came across Madama Butterfly. And got interested in it. Funny but this started as a fanart -- which I decided to do it as a five-part story.
> 
> I haven't tried writing smut. Ever. Especially for a pairing like this, so please bear with me. And I haven't write a story this dark and explicit. Sometimes I have to unleash the other side of me. For science.
> 
> Please take note of the following:
> 
> 1.) I'm not a native English speaker.
> 
> 2.) I have never wrote smut in my life. Ever.
> 
> 3.) All characters are depicted as 18+ -- with the exemption of the first chapter. See tags for more details.
> 
> 4.) I am still in the process of reading and researching about Madama Butterfly.
> 
> 5.) Yours truly will never, ever condone any kind of non-consentual act depicted in this story, and thus only written for entertainment purposes.
> 
> This is my first, and possibly, only Klance or Laith fic that I'll ever write. As usual, feel free to comment or give me a shoutout on this. Kudos will be also appreciated. So, enjoy, bananas.
> 
> (BTW, art for this is posted on my Tumblr account.)

  _Nagasaki, 1907_

The lady of the house, Ciocio-san, known to everyone as Madame Butterfly, confined herself in their ancestral shrine, praying to the gods and ancestors not for herself, but for her child, whom she named Dolore, and for the man she had loved with all her body and heart. 

She just found out that the man, named Pinkerton, only married her in the first place as his temporary comfort, while looking for a more suitable American wife for him. Now he is back, but with his new wife, Kate, with him, for her child, but not for her. After all, she was nothing but a _geisha,_ pampered to serve men with their desires, and nothing else, and with that, she has nowhere else to go, no family to go back to, for her own family disowned her for committing such insolence.

She was heartbroken, devastated, angry not at him, but at herself. She was fooled and blinded by false hopes that he will be back just for her. How she wished she listened to her maid and the marriage broker! But then, her love for Pinkerton remained unchanged. She willingly gave her body and heart for him, without questioning his loyalty. One cannot blame the heart for falling in love with the wrong person, but anyone can blame the mind for being a fool, such words her father told her when he was still alive.

Dolore was just waiting for her to finish praying, not understanding the pain his mother was having at that time. He was just sitting on the corner, with times that he imitates what his mother was doing. 

After a few minutes, Butterfly bowed again at the altar, before rushing to her son's embrace and peppered him with kisses. In tears, she prayed to the gods to keep him well and bid goodbye at the same time. Little Dolore, however, couldn't understand her words, but seeing her cry also made him cry. Hesitant to carry her plan, she ripped a part of her silk sash and blindfolded her own son, hoping that he will never see her plan to take her own life out of love.

After blindfolding her child, as she tried to become deaf in his cries, Butterfly hid behind the paper window, with her father's sword on her lap, preparing her ceremonial suicide away from the eyes of everyone, including Pinkerton.

Pinkerton, meanwhile, rushed to her room, after learning the mistake he did for leaving her behind. He was calling her name, hoping that she will reply:

"Butterfly! Butterfly!"

As he reached the room, a thud was heard. He came in and saw a little child crying and blindfolded, totally unaware of the tragedy. On the other side, he saw a limp hand on the floor. When he peeked on the other side, all Pinkerton could do is to fall on his knees and cry...

He was too late. The poor Butterfly is dead.

*****

_San Diego, California, 108 years later._

"That story sucks," Lance whined as he and his two friends went on stargazing at the rooftop on one of his friends' house. "I mean, the girl just killed herself without resolving anything between her and the guy! And, yeah, that guy sucks too. But most importantly," he stared at the only girl in his circle, "that's already, what, the nth time you've watched that movie--"

"You just don't understand the beauty of it," Katie stressed out her favorite play. "Puccini did justice on how the play ended. Yeah, Butterfly died in the end -- but that's to put justice on what Pinkerton did to her. You think Pinkerton's a dick? That's how he pictured that to happen..."

Without realizing it, Katie, whom they have known as a sucker for plays and musicals, started to lecture Lance about Madame Butterfly, which was her ultimate favorite, and not a single day she missed talking about it. For Lance and his best friend, Keith, it can be a girl thing, or maybe something that only 'cultured' people would understand, but there are times that the taller teen wanted to cover his ears and pretend he didn't hear. If he will do that, however, Katie will keep on lecturing him about the damn play.

"I guess 'Twilight' has been ousted now," Keith chuckled while the telescope back to the corner of his room.

"Twilight's worst than any fanfiction I've read, okay!?" Katie heard him. "Besides, Butterfly's story is more than a hundred years old -- it's a classic! You dared compared a masterpiece to a movie trash!?"

"We've watched it," Lance recalled, still giggling. "And for that, I'll agree with you."

"Gross!"

"Hey, I sacrificed my manhood and sanity to prove your theory, I'm just yer mere experiment!"

"Remind me _not_ to think about it ever again," Keith still shivered while remembering the said movie.

"I can't believe you're comparing an old play to that shit!" Katie shrugged. "You _betrayed_ me!"

The two boys laughed.

It was always like that. Every Saturday night at Keith's house, they will go stargazing. Tonight was special, the moon is full and the sky is clear. It was a good thing that it was only the three of them in the house, as the former's brother was currently back in Japan for a scholastic meet, being a teacher and all, with pizza and drinks beside the telescope.

They were the best of friends. Keith is the oldest and the quiet one who loves reading and the stars. Lance is the outgoing middle child who gets swoon by all women, much to Katie's jealousy. Katie is the youngest and often calls herself 'their angel', a theater and classics geek who dreams of becoming a playwright. They all grew up once in a known orphanage in that area, and just five years ago, Keith was luckily adopted by a high school teacher named Takashi Shirogane who thought of him as his own brother who died in an accident years ago.

Lance was supposed to be adopted three years later by a nice family -- if not for Katie who kept on clinging to him like a koala, and demanded that she should be adopted, too. The family, however, tried to do whatever it means to adopt Lance without tagging the younger girl. In the end, Lance decided to stay with Katie. After all, it was part of his promise to her dead brother to be with her.

Katie sighed romantically at the night sky as she decided to change the subject. "I _really_ wanted to be like this forever," she said.

The two boys looked at each other, then at her, their faces changed a bit grim. "There's no such thing as forever, you know," Keith said directly. "We can't tell if we'll keep our friendship like this or--"

"That's one thing I hate about you," she pouted, "you don't look into the bright side--"

"Says someone who doesn't want Lance to get adopted unless they include _someone_ \--"

"Lance and I are a _package deal_. They can't get one unless they get the other."

"Is that why you're still living in the orphanage?"

"I want you to be happy. I also want Lance to be happy. And both of you won't be happy without _me_ around. At least we can still visit you, so--"

Lance just watched their simple banter while popped the last pizza piece he ate. Strangely, he haven't joined them in a few minutes since Katie talked again. He couldn't help but to remember how Katie became a crying mess when Keith got adopted.

To his opinion, Katie is the glue that holds them together, ever since her brother died of pneumonia at such a young age. A promise between him, Lance and Keith made them stick to Katie, no matter what. Since then, the girl has never been separated to them until Keith's adoption, thus Lance has to be with her, or she will definitely get mad and uncontrollable, in which he understood.

Of the three of them, Katie suffered the most during her childhood.

However, as they grow up, the needs and interests of both boys are changing, but he could notice that only Katie refuses to grow up. He wanted to tell her how he feels without hurting her in the process, but right now, what Lance can only do is to observe.

"You know, guys," he suddenly spoke, "I _really_ love you so much."

Keith almost scoffed at how Lance confessed his feelings. "Since when did you became so sappy?" He even joked.

But Katie took it seriously. She dragged Keith along to hug Lance, longing for a major triple hug. "You lose," she whispered. "I love you _more_ than you do."

"This ain't a competition, you know," the raven-haired boy grinned.

"No fair," the girl stared at him. "You haven't told us that you love us, dummy!"

He smiled and sighed as he leaned his body closer to the two. "I'm not a sappy type," he said, "but yeah, I love you, too."

No one knows how long they have stayed hugging for the rest of the night. The stargazing session has just ended, but it was Katie who decided to make an exemption before going back home to the orphanage with Lance. For her, it was the most magical night ever, far better than their previous stargazing sessions, just as what she imagined during Butterfly and Pinkerton's first night together. She even didn't mind sleeping while getting closer to her two 'knights'...

Without realizing or noticing everything, Lance's hand and Keith's hand have been holding together, tighter than the hugs Katie gave them.

Until the house phone rang.

"I'll get it," Keith volunteered as he stood up, kicking the comforters while heading downstairs.

"Just make it quick," Katie told him, "or you'll miss the meteor shower--!"

"The meteor shower just happened an hour ago," Lance reminded her.

"I know, but who knows if there's a shooting star that wants to catch up?"

"Katie, you know astronomy more than I do, I only learn these through Facebook. Besides, who knows if that's Keith's bro who just wants to check on his li'l bro?"

That fact only made her face sour. "I just wish that Shirogane guy just die so he won't bother Keith again," she mumbled--

"You're saying something?" Lance caught her.

"Nothing," Katie answered back, and just hugged him tighter. "I just said he should do it quick."

Lance sighed. It was a good thing that he didn't hear everything, but knowing Katie, he knew that she isn't the type who gets grumpy right away if she couldn't get what she wanted.

*****

"Shirogane residence," Keith greeted on the phone.

" _Am I speaking with Takashi Shirogane's brother?_ " the other line asked, who sounded like a middle-aged woman.

"Y-you do," he replied. "This is Keith."

" _Yes, Keith?_ " The other line confirmed. " _This is regarding what happened to your brother. He's currently at a hospital here in Nagasaki--_ "

He was speechless.

*****

Keith decided to go back to his room right after the phone call, much to the two's confusion, although they were gained permission to stay for a night for their safety.

When Katie finally fell asleep, Lance thought of checking Keith, to find out what that call is for. He knocked at the door, but heard bumps from the inside.

"Keith?" He knocked. "Hey, man, is something wrong?"

He didn't answer.

The taller boy knocked again, but to no avail. He tried to turn the knob, and was surprised to notice that it was open all this time. He didn't hesitate to come in...

And from there, he saw Keith, clothes scattered on his bed whie trying to fit them all in his bag. This could only mean one thing.

"What the fuck," he rushed to him. "Hey, wh-what's this packing up for!? Where the hell are you planning to...

K... Keith?"

He stopped as he noticed his friend's face soaked in tears.

"H-hey, Keith," he tried to rub both his arms to ease him, "what's the matter? You suddenly decided to pack up while crying after that phone call--"

"I-it's Shiro," he hiccuped. "G-got a phone call from a nurse in a hospital in Nagasaki..."

"I-is that where your brother's conference is!? Why is he at a hospital!?"

"H-he was caught in a car accident... Critical... He hasn't woke up yet, they said... So I have to--"

"Oh no, no, no," Lance tried to let him sit down. "If you're planning to go to Nagasaki now, you won't tell how much the ticket is! Plus it's way past one--!"

"Shiro needs me!" He shrieked. "I told him I wanna come but he didn't listen to me! I have to be there, Lance, I--"

Lance hugged him tightly. The hug made him give in to the emotions that he had been trying to control since the phone call.

"I'm not stopping you," Lance whispered to him. "I'm just... I mean _we_ are just worried about you. I know you, you love to rush things to the point that it ends up in a mess."

"Shiro," he was sobbing. "Shiro... saved me. I owe him everything, so..."

"I know," and he kissed his forehead. "He'll get better once you're there. But for now, just relax. You can do the packing later..."

"But..." Before he could even protest, Lance sealed Keith's worries with a kiss. It supposed to be a short and simple one, but knowing how freaking stressed Keith was, he decided to make him forget by making sure their lips locked at each other, with tongues intertwining. Sloppy at first, but the taller boy wants to make sure he will catch the smaller's top and bottom lips while the other made sure he could feel them. Keith shortly tried to catch his breath, before catching Lance's lips again, begging for more.

"You'll need a souvenir before you go," the brown-haired teased his ear, making Keith's ears and cheeks flush at the deal. He nodded innocently as he lets Lance remove his jacket and tossed it away while their lips still locked at each other.

"Can you," Keith asked softly, "make me feel better?"

Lance smirked. "Who could have thought we're thinking the same thing?"

Both were blushing, especially when Lance guessed what Keith wanted. For years, he had never seen this beautiful raven-haired boy as a blushing mess, acting so innocent, which turned him on. Given his consent, Keith raised his arms in submission, allowing Lance to remove his shirt, revealing his strikingly soft-looking fair skin glistening in the moonlight, which added more color due to blood rushing in noticeable patches of his skin. 

"You usually top when we do this," Lance remembered as he also takes off his jacket. "But this time, I'll spoil you rot."

Keith replied with a brief smile, as one hand started to trail to his chest, as the taller boy nipped at the smaller's neck, scenting him like an alpha male trying to claim his mate. His tanned hand made a beautiful contrast to the latter's snow-white skin, admiring it under his breath. Lance's fingers reached the other's nipple and began to pinch and fondle it gently until he could feel the nub growing, which he eagerly played with it until electricity ran into Keith's spine.

"F-fu--" he couldn't utter even a single curse as Lance somehow hit his weakest spot. Meanwhile, Lance was a bit surprised at his discovery.

"So this is your sweet spot," he grinned. "Come to think of it, between you and me, you seem to get more excited when I rub your nipples like this--"

"S-stop teasing me," Keith broke a sob, "I'm losing it...!"

"I told you I'll be spoiling you tonight," he breathe in his ear. "Relax for me, babe, will ya?"

Keith nodded weakly, as Lance dived his thumb to the waistband of Keith's pants, tugging it down, leaving him with only his white boxer briefs, as innocent as him, as the taller boy began caressing his thighs.

"Fuck, you're so soft and smooth," Lance admired his lover's skin. "What's your secret?"

"Of course it's a secret," Keith tried to reply between gasps.

"I'll find out soon enough," Lance said as he slowly got rid of Keith's pants. "For now, I'll focus on you."

"Don't leave me hanging, stupid... If you're planning to fuck me, do it now...!"

"Eager, huh?" And Lance targeted Keith's outrageously flushing cheek while cupping the staining bulge between his thighs. "I told you I'm going to spoil you tonight. Slowly but surely. You told me that you wanna feel better after that damn bad news, right?"

Keith nodded slowly. He knows that fact, and good thing Lance checked on him or he will never be relaxed. He decided to trust him with his plans on 'making him feel better' by letting him stroke his clothed cock until it slowly stood for Lance's attention, which made him whimper in his miraculous hands. 

Lance slowly laid Keith down while he didn't let go of the other's aching erection, as he voluntarily spread his legs for him, ready for the next step, with one leg raised and ankles rested on his other hand. "Good kitty," he winced in satisfaction. "Guess I'll need to reward you, then."

He finally pulled down Keith's underwear, exposing his throbbing, flushing cock waiting to be touched, with traces of precum starting to leak. Keith felt extremely exposed and helpless that he whimpered and sobbed, his hand covering his mouth so no one, especially Katie, could hear him. Lance didn't fail to notice him.

"I wanna hear your voice, babe," he said, his voice became surprisingly husky. 

"What about Katie...?" Keith asked weakly.

"You know her, she's a heavy sleeper," Lance assured. "You can scream as much as you can, I got you."

"Says someone who screams like a girl during sex," Keith snickered.

"That's why this time," he peppered him with kisses on his cheeks and chest while fingers started to trail in the smaller boy's entrance, " _I_ will make you scream like a girl."

Hearing that from someone who always bottoms during sex made Keith's hole twitch, especially when one of Lance's fingers started to massage it until it welcomes one of them.

"I managed to take three of your fingers before I get your cock," his voice was velvety while breathing on Keith's ear. "I wonder if you could break my record?"

"Wanna try me?" Keith challenged him with a cocky smile.

"I always wanted to," he grinned. "I'm going for one first."

"Hurry up," he hitched his breath, "dumbass."

"Very eager," he chuckled, as he licked his middle finger first before he slid it into the entrance. Despite trying to relax, Keith still squirmed, his fists turned white in the sheets as he took Lance's first finger. A tear escaped from his eye, which he didn't notice, and focused instead on how he could make his breaths even.

"Shit, you're tight," Lance cussed as the hole almost squeezed his finger. "Don't tell me this is your..."

He stopped as he noticed Keith sobbing. He guessed it right, even in several times that they had sex where Lance always bottoms, he had never seen the older boy's reaction as a bottom, himself. His tears and his hole's reaction to his fingers gave him a shocking discovery that Keith is, technically, a virgin.

He sighed as he pulled out his finger and kissed Keith's cheek instead, but "I didn't say stop," he protested.

"Then why are you crying?"

"That doesn't mean it hurts, fucktard -- well, _it_ hurts but not _that_ kind of hurt," he explained. "What I mean is, I've dreamed of being fucked by you for real. It's just that I'm only used to jack myself off and--"

Lance kissed his lips again. "Don't scare me like that," he said. "You should have told me earlier--"

"Then, what? Laugh at me?"

Instead of replying to him straight, Lance's finger resumed to fuck Keith until he gets better. His tongue also reached for his neglected nipple to make him more accepting, slowly driving Keith crazier as he flung his head against the sheets and his body arched as he began to become more receptive to his partner's skillful finger. 

By just playing with his nipples and his hole, Keith's cock began to shake and throb that it was leaking like crazy.

"Lance, I," he hiccuped.

"I know," he whispered as he kissed his cheek. "I got you."

He made a loud groan before he made a release, messing up Lance's hand and his own stomach and thighs, leaving him catching a breath.

"That was too early," Lance chuckled.

"That's not enough," Keith complained, eyes averted to the sheets.

"I know," Lance grinned as he pushed the second finger, which made him bite his lip. His chest heaved up and down while his cock began to load for another shot of cum as it bobbed erect to Lance's attention.

He didn't say anything as Lance's mouth travelled to Keith's leaking dick while inserting a third finger, allowing his tongue and mouth massage its slit, to the shaft, down to the well-veined log to his balls, and later kept on pushing his mouth into it as Keith makes high-pitched whines and soft screams, unmindful of the leaking cum in its tip. For him, he finds it more delicious to taste his cock smothered in creamy white goodness.

Without realizing it, Lance slips his fourth finger into Keith's asshole, breaking his old record. He yelped.

"I won...!" He cried. 

Lance just smirked with cock on his mouth, before he lets go. "Congratulations, babe," he said as he started to get rid of his own pants and boxers. "You definitely need to be rewarded."

"Fucking finally," he huffed.

Lance prepared his cock as he started to stroke it with lotion which he grabbed from the drawer. Once he finds himself ready, he aimed at Keith's waiting hole before he finally gets in without issues.

Keith's eyes popped in the sensation he waited to feel for quite a while.

Slowly, he rocked towards the pale-skinned teen as he grabbed unto his silky thighs, eagerly looking for his sweet spot within. Meanwhile Keith whimpered in a mix of pain and pleasure, which later became bearable for him when Lance also pumped his cock for every push he makes. It was like being in a two-man band where both of them are in sync: for every stroke, Lance pushes, and for every other stroke, Lance pulls. Adding up to his pleasure is for every chance Lance rubs the slit of his shaft, enticing him to beg for more.

Desperate to feel better, Keith pulled himself closer to Lance as he reached his lips again, while the other happily obliged. 

"I wanna make sure I'll remember your face," the raven-haired teen assured.

"Why do you sound like you won't come back?" Lance blinked, his heart started to throb. "You'll only be out for a week, right?"

Keith smiled at him. "I just wanna make sure. A week's still too long."

"Guess you're right," and Lance moved Keith's body, facing his back, while his cock still stuck in his ass. "I'll make you remember my hands and cock, then. Right now I'm proud of you. You're more beautiful like this -- no contest. I'm happy that you're taking me eagerly. You don't deserve to be sad, baby."

Keith rested his own forehead against Lance's. "I fucking love you," he huffed. "No contest."

"Me too," Lance whispered. "No contest, either."

As Keith rocked his own body while squeezing his partner's cock in his own ass, Lance began to pump the smaller's cock again while the other hand played at his one nipple and the other played by his tongue. Keith's skin was fiery strawberry and cream, his purple eyes streaming with non-stop tears while his face was in a pure bliss. Lance caught his panting lips for another round of long kisses before letting it go and letting him hear his moans, whimpers and screams of pleasure. It was refreshing on both of them, especially when Lance always bottoms during sex, to find out that Keith is a better bottom than him, in his own opinion, because of many firsts he discovered about him after years of being together. He looked forward to do this again, with Keith being the bottom, if he will be willing, of course.

It was, indeed, a special night, but only for the two of them, when the night sky was so clear and the moon illuminates everything. However, both failed to noticed something -- or someone, who has been watching them the whole night.

Katie saw everything, to the point that she sat in one corner with one hand touching her pussy and the other touching her underdeveloped breast, crying as her disappointment, rage and jealousy slowly consumed her. Despite the anger, she couldn't stop touching herself, only dreaming to be between Lance and Keith's cocks, filling her with the happiness which, she believed, they are only meant for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... Can't believe I wrote it.
> 
> Anyway, I'll be posting the second chapter in a little while. But I have to fix the tags because for some reason it won't let me enter my own.
> 
> Once again, comments and kudos are welcome. Hate will never be tolerated.


	2. Act Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PREVIOUSLY: Keith, Lance and Katie are three friends who grew up together in an orphanage, but it was Keith who got adopted five years ago by high school Classics teacher, Takashi Shirogane. As they have concluded their weekly stargazing session, Katie wished that they will never be apart, until a phone call changed their lives forever. When Lance learned about Keith's plan in going to Nagasaki, they had sex, without realizing that Katie has been watching them the whole time, filled with jealousy and disappointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter is here, as promised.
> 
> I've planned for a strictly five-part story to see if I can really write that short, so good luck to me.
> 
> And, of course, enjoy.

_Three years later._

"Hey, Lance?" Hunk snapped his fingers in front of him, trying to wake him up. "Hey!? She's waiting for her frapuccino!"

"Aw, crap," Lance finally wakes up after relizing that he haven't made their customer's order for more than twenty minutes now. He proceed with finishing the order as soon as he gets back to reality, and handed it to the waiting customer.

Luckily, that female customer has been a atron of theirs for a while that she almost knew everybody in the café that she just chuckled at Lance's late reception. "Lemme guess," she said, "your girlfriend didn't let you sleep at all?"

"Babe," Lance leaned on the table towards the customer as he handed the drink, "I can stay up all night when there's a beautiful lady involved. Just that last night's the wildest. Besides, a man can keep his energy running anytime--"

"Don't listen to him, Nyma," Hunk overheard them. "Obviously, his 'girlfriend' didn't let him sleep again--"

"I slept for three hours, man," Lance corrected.

"--Which is not a standard for a healthy adult."

"I've figured," Nyma chuckled as she began enjoying her drink. 

"I still have a right to enjoy as a man," Lance said. "Having a girlfriend doesn't mean my manly rights are already revoked--"

"Dude," Hunk corrected him again, "your rights as a bachelor have been revoked for three fucking years--"

"Shut up, fatso. In this place, I have all the rights to make every girl happy with a sip of my crafted coffee--"

"This is a _café,_ Lorenzo. _Not_ a host club."

"It's a café which happened to run by all guys and it all happened that ninety-seven percent of our customers are women."

Hunk sighed, waved a white napkin signifying his surrender as he turned to Coran, the manager of the said café, while working on a cranky cash register. "Coran, please," he said, "let this guy rest! He's been as cranky as that cash register for a week--"

"You know that I can't do that, lad," Coran said, focusing on the machine. "Our sales will go down by twenty percent from the normal if I'll let Lance go. Plus, he and I already talked about it. For every dissatisfied customer, he can offer a free blueberry cheesecake on a condition that it will be deducted from his paycheck."

Hunk can almost feel his jaw drop at the compensation program that Coran made for Lance. "So you're giving blueberry cheesecakes? For _free?_ Which I baked with my blood, sweat and tears!? Where the hell's my compensation!?"

"It's customer satisfaction!" Coran beamed. "Come to think of it, both you and Lance boosted this café's sales. You saved it from closure! We just want to make sure to give customers the service we're branded for with the two of you around--"

"Wait, wait, you're changing the subject here. Lance had a rough week. I don't mind covering his shift--"

"Don't worry about it. Lance said that he's willing to go on an overtime for those cheesecakes. At least he can earn extra for his wedding."

"That," he pointed at that thought, "is what made his week like hell. He's saving for the wedding, but not his relationship with his quote-unquote girlfriend who's ten times crankier than that cash register. She's not even worth an overtime pay!"

Coran whistled at Hunk's opinion. "Jealous, are we?"

"No," he replied straight. "I'm saying this as a concerned co-worker and friend who is not, and will never be, into masochistic relationships. It's not healthy."

"Hm, I don't think Katie's into S and M thing. She's such a sweet girl who loves theaters more than I do--"

"Don't tell me you're friends with her on Facebook!"

"Why, yes! How did you know?"

Hunk just slapped himself, shook his head, and threw a white napkin on the cash register before he headed back to the kitchen. While Lance secretly listened to his banter while entertaining a seemingly-enamored customer. After serving the said customer, he headed back to the counter, remembering everything that happened in his life.

*****

It has been three years since Keith left. What was thought was a week-long stay in Japan unexpectedly lasted more than a week. No texts, no emails, no phone calls coming from him. All what was left was his brother's house and a picture where the three of them were still happy together. 

Who could have thought that it will be his and Keith's last night together?

Katie has become moodier when Keith took his leave, and never said anything afterwards. When she was forced to come with Lance to see him off, she wouldn't let go, but was later calmed down when Keith made a promise that he will come back. That promise was broken, however, to the point that she wished for Shiro to die so Keith could come back to them, which made Lance angry and almost tainted their lifelong friendship.

It turned worse when Lance reached eighteen, and it was time for him to leave the orphanage to work. When the entire facility celebrated his eighteenth birthday, Katie didn't show up. Instead, she wandered somewhere, which Lance finds it new since she would usually lock herself in her room listening to tracks from her favorite musicals or watch the filmed version of Madame Butterfly all over. It made him worry to the point that he left the orphanage that night to find her. She was later seen in Keith's room in his brother's house just a few blocks from the orphanage, with a slit in his wrist. She was immediately rushed to the hospital.

Luckily, the cut was not that deep, that she managed to survive and stayed in the hospital for a month. Lance scolded her at first, which he later understood why she did it. For Katie, her world only revolves around Keith and him, and just one of them went missing, she felt her world shattered the same way when her only brother died of pneumonia. Fearing that he might not be able to keep his promise just as what Keith did to her, Lance decided set aside his plan to go to college and instead to work at Café Altea, a once cheap coffeeshop owned by Coran who was also a theater geek, and happened to be one of the orphanage's former employees, to earn for Katie to finish highschool. Luckily for them, Katie is extremely smart; she was given full scholarship by a nearby high school -- but she was almost sent to a school for special needs when the guidance counselor found out that Katie has series of mental issues, in which Lance explained further why it was so.

The moment Lance reached eighteen, upon Coran's suggestion, he stood as Katie's legal guardian until she reached maturity. At that time also, he met Hunk, a working student taking up Psychology who is also a kitchen genius. He and Lance easily became friends, but he later noticed Katie's behavior when it comes to other people around Lance aside from her. He once warned him to be careful with her, even if he already knew about their history. His fear almost came true with what almost happened to Katie last year.

It was Hunk who saved her from a serial rapist roaming around Little Tokyo at that time. While on his way to night school, he heard a muffled cry in the outskirts between a worn-out family restaurant and a love hotel. He found Katie pinned under the said attacker who was almost his size but has excessive grease and bumps on his face. Her clothes were ripped and dumped beside her and was fully naked, hands tied on a pole while fingering her and about to be fucked raw. He knocked the man down before taking her to a nearby hospital. The said rapist was later found and arrested.

When Lance learned about what happened, he almost quit his job out of fear of leaving Katie alone, but at that time the café started to gain popularity among girls. As soon as she came to her senses, Lance proposed to her, for the sake of protecting her and to relive his promise to Keith and Katie's brother. He promised to marry her once she reached legal age as a way not to leave her again. Of course, Katie has never been that happy in her life.

With Coran's help, he and Katie decided to stay in Shiro's house to take care of it while waiting for Keith who hasn't come back yet.

*****

"Why won't you go there and find him?" Hunk took a chance to ask Lance when their shift was done. "I mean, he just went to Nagasaki. Have you thought about it?"

"Honestly, no," Lance admitted. "At that time I thought he'll be back right away, but..."

"Well, it's been three years. Who knows if he's not there anymore? Maybe somewhere in Tokyo where his brother can be well-taken care of."

"That's possible. But, dude, Japan's freakin' big! America might be bigger, but that's the point! We're not exactly sure where he is right now, so I'm a bit skeptical about it. Besides..."

He looked at the window.

"I already promised Katie. I just wanna make sure she's safe. Keith would also like that."

Hunk sighed when he mentioned Katie again. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but are you _really_ sure you wanna marry her?"

Lance just raised his eyebrow on him.

"D-don't get me wrong, that's cool, I'm happy for you, but... When you told me about Katie, I couldn't help but to be worried about you. Yeah, she's cute, she's smart... And she's troubled. Waaaaay troubled. I didn't say to get away from her because she's mentally unstable, but you're entering a weird kind of relationship that can grow as an abusive one if you won't be careful. Think about it, Lance. I'm a Psychology major so I know how a healthy brain and a troubled brain works--"

"Yeah I know," Lance said casually. "I'm prepared fr it."

It was Hunk's turn to raise his eyebrow.

"Her past shaped her that way. Besides, I already made a promise to Matt before he died. Katie... Well, she lost everything so early. At least in my case, I grew up in the orphanage all my life, so I understand why she acts like a bitch to strangers. Plus the fact that I wasn't there when she almost got raped--"

"That's nobody's fault, bro, it just happened."

"She's still my responsibility. At least, once we get married, no one will bat an eye on it anymore."

Hunk couldn't help but to shake his head, and pat his shoulder. "Good fucking luck, then," he said. "Don't say I didn't warn ya," and he waved at Coran (who was still working on the old cash register) as he went ahead for night school.

Lance just smirked. "Thanks, man. I really need some good fucking luck."

"Ah, by the way," he looked back, "are you free this Saturday?"

"Saturday?" Lance began to think. Neither he nor Katie made any plan on that day -- but surely Sunday they will have their usual date.

"I don't think I have plans on Saturday," he thought.

"Perfect," Hunk snapped. "Wanna hit up at my uncle's shooting hall?"

He grinned. "Sounds fun! It's been a while."

"Saturday, then!" He went off. "Your choice if you wanna bring your fiancée or not."

As Lance watch him go, he sighed at that part of invitation. "I don't think Katie's the type who likes guns and stuff," he recalled.

*****

_Little Tokyo, an hour later._

"We received reports that several members of the Tora-Chou Group started to show up here," one of the officers reported to a young but strong-faced woman with white tied bun and in fitted slacks matching her three-inch stilettos. "There's a planned meeting between their members and representatives of their business partners regarding possible weaponry exchange."

"Any idea where exactly that will happen?" The female officer who was leading them asked the officer.

"Got an intel that they'll meet up near this restaurant, possibly just on the other corner of the building. I already alerted our men to keep an eye on that place--"

But he stopped the report and in a few seconds, he fell into the ground, already with an arrow stuck on his back. The rest of the police got alarmed.

"Stay alert," she warned them as she loaded her gun. "They might have hired an assassin just for us."

Some officers dragged their seemingly dead colleague back to the car to be rushed to the hospital while the rest armed themselves in case of an ambush.

As they thought the coast was clear, one of them saw the potential assassin on top of the building window. "Found one!" He announced as he was about to aim his gun, but--

"No!" The female officer tried to stop him. "Don't shoot! Or--"

Too late as the officer made an attempt -- which, in the end, he ended up being shot by an arrow right through his heart that caused him instant death.

Three assassins began to attack, as the police have no choice but to do the same. The female officer managed to spot the third assassin armed only with a dagger and wears a bandanna as a mask. She followed him on the outskirts of the district, which caused panic to some civilians.

The said assassin was so fast he moves like a ninja in a movie. The female officer could tell that he does advanced parkour, which she didn't mind catching up. Surprisingly, even with three-inch heels, she runs fast and even jumps as normal as someone wearing sneakers. As she was almost close to the assassin, she fired her gun and successfully hit his shoulder.

"Don't move or this time I'll aim at your head!" She threatened. But instead of surrendering since he is already injured, he jumped off the building which is around eleven storeys from the ground.

She was completely shocked at first. But when one of the officers followed her, she immediately regained her composure. "Have our men check the ground," she instructed the officer. "Find him, dead or alive. Better if you will find him alive."

"Yes, Ma'am," he saluted before joining the other officers below.

Detective Allura Alton breathe heavily after that dangerous chase, as she stared velow where the assassin might have jumped. There is no way a person can survive that fall, even if he is a daredevil, if she will sum up how tall they were at, but judging at how that assassin dodged her and jumped from roof to roof without any kind of equipment, she could say that he was well-trained. Still, she hoped to find the said asassin, dead or alive.

*****

The assassin wobbled his way out of the corner of the building, trying to look for some place to stay to tend to his gunshot wound. To stop the bleeding, he pulled out his bandanna and tied it to the affected area before we went on walking away.

As he tried to look for a good place to hide, he fished out his cellphone, dialled a number, and called someone.

"Lotor, it's me," he called. "It was a trap."

" _I know_ ," the other line, whom he called Lotor, replied. " _Didn't expect that, either. Where are you?_ "

"No idea," he looked around. "Probably landed in some trash."

" _Stay right where you are. I'll have my men find you and take you home._ "

"By the way," he changed the subject. "How was business?"

" _Failure. They're all dead, anyway._ "

"Tough luck," he replied, but the pain in his shoulder started to become less bearable that he was having a hard time breathing normally. Lotor could tell that he got hurt.

" _Stay right where you are,_ " he ordered. " _You got hit, am I right?_ "

"Minor scratch," he assured as he kept on walking. "This is just -- oof!"

Probably due to strength loss from a gunshot wound, he didn't notice what he was stepping at. He stumbled on a broken piece of decorative wood and his phone flung into the sewer. From there, his phone totally died since not all phones are built to become waterproof.

He couldn't help but to stare at his only phone that slowly sank in the sewer.

"Fuck."

*****

"Aw, no, I didn't go anywhere," Lance talked to his fiancée, Katie, while on his way home. "I already told you that I'll be on overtime. C -- Katie. Katie, baby, calm down, that's why I called you to let you know that I'm on my way home. Coran even bothered packed me your favorite green tea cake. You said that you bought some tea, right? We can have it once I get back. Uh huh, uh huh..."

Lance was just walking on his way home with a bag of Katie's favorite cake that they can enjoy later. He has been doing overtime work since last month to save for their wedding, and even if Hunk told him to leave Katie, he couldn't do so...

It's a man's promise.

After calling Katie back home, he stopped by a wedding boutique which Katie loved to stop by. As far as he could remember. Katie specifically wanted a kimono-inspired wedding dress with matching apple green ribbons so she can be like the character, Ciocio-san, in her wedding with Pinkerton. He personally disliked the play not because of the story, but by how Katie lectures him about the story since time in memorial, he eventually grew tired of hearing it again. But he couldn't blame his fiancée if she loves the play that much.

So he thought, once he has enough, he will buy that dress for her.

THUD.

He heard something in the outskirts of the boutique. To make it more interesting, he could see a few drops of blood near it. It made Lance almost jump in fear but intrigued at the same time, when he saw a chapped hand lying on the ground. He wanted to scream, but he covered his own mouth as he tried not to. He thought of helping whoever they are in hopes that they are still alive.

He turned on the flashlight on his phone to check on whoever that is. At first he couldn't see the face, probably because it was covered with probably long black hair, and because they were wearing a red hoodie -- but he could tell that they are hurt somewhere, after seeing their bandanna soaked in blood tied to a possible wound on their shoulder. He even thought it was dead -- until he heard muffled, staggering breaths.

The injured person is still alive.

Lance had his phone ready while checking on the person if it is still okay. As he carefully shifted its body, the hair covering their face blew off, revealing a very familiar face... Which almost made him lose his balance.

"Oh my fucking..."

Before he could finish his curse, his hand unconsciously dialled a numbered and called someone.

"Katie? Baby?" Lance called. "You will _never_ believe this...

I've found Keith. Just near Olkari Boutique. And he's dying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't fully written the third chapter yet, but I'll do so tomorrow, and hopefully I could post it.
> 
> Third chapter will be, ehem, smutty again. But this time, it won't be totally consentual. You have been warned.
> 
> BTW: Tora-Chou -- Tiger-Butterfly, literally. Chou because related to Madame Butterfly. Tora because, well, the group is referred to none other than the Galra Empire.


	3. Act Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PREVIOUSLY: Three years later, Lance proposed to Katie after the latter suffered from mental breakdown and after an attempted rape on her. To earn for their upcoming wedding and studies, he worked fulltime at Café Altea, where he met his new friend, Hunk, who seems skeptical about Katie. Meanwhile, members of the San Diego Police, headed by Detective Allura Alton, managed to stop a transaction done by the notorious Tora-Chou, but one of them managed t escape despite having a gunshot wound. Lance found hin on his way home -- who turned out to be none other than Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **  
>  **   
>  _The following chapter contains graphic non-consentual sex, violence, and self-harm. Reader discretion is advised._   
> 

A taxi hurriedly skid to the corner of an available parking space at a hospital that almost scared a child safely crossing the street with his mother. The moment the taxi found a safe space to stop, a young woman with luxuriously long auburn hair and pleated mint dress stepped out and rushed through the building while calling someone from her phone.

"I'm here," she said as she immediately came in, looked around to find an elevator. "Where's his room!?"

When Katie received Lance's call around twenty minutes ago, she immediately left without thinking if she has locked the house properly. For her, that didn't matter as long as she knows that Keith has finally come back after three years. 

Three long years. Her tears were a mixture of anxiety and joy. It didn't bother her anymore why he disappeared or for how long, or how even he got attacked, as long as he is back and he will make it from his wounds.

*****

"The operation was a success. We managed to remove the bullet from his shoulder. Lucky for us, the bullet didn't fracture his bone so we have easily took it off. He can be discharged after seven days, but of course he will need a full month to recover."

Lance was relieved to hear that Keith survived the operation. It only took them thirty minutes to remove the bullet and dress the wound, but the patient remained unconscious probably due to anaesthesia. Keith was immediately moved to a regular ward so he could rest and so he can be visited.

As he waited for Katie to arrive, Lance started to remember the last night he spent together with Keith. It was intense, to the point that he couldn't exactly remember what time they have slept after they had sex, but what he could remember is how beautiful Keith was.

Even by now, his beauty didn't change. His hair grew a mullet, slightly longer than his. Other than that, nothing has changed -- or maybe it was his face, he could tell that he had lost so much weight.

Lance has so many questions for him, with number one on his list: what happened. His burning feelings for him has returned in a flash, just like three years ago, where Keith once confessed to him before they had their very first sex. But now that he is back, there are also things that he wanted to say when he wakes up, and that includes...

"Where's Keith!?"

Lance immediately hushed Katie, but she didn't apologize as soon as she found her other 'best' friend still alive. She tried to fight her tears.

"The doctors said he can be discharged in seven days," Lance told her. "His wound's not that serious."

"How did this happened, I mean," she sobbed, "is he on a run? Lance, you saw him hurt--"

"How would I know? I just found him lying there..."

Silence followed as they watch Keith's covered chest rising and falling as he sleeps. They find it peaceful, but for them, they couldn't help not to get worried about what happened to him after three years.

Katie softly brushed the patient's hair as she reminisced their days together. "I'm so glad that he's back," she said. "Isn't this great? The three of us will be together again under the same roof."

Lance was also happy about it, but part of him is bothered, now that he is back. He is now engaged to Katie, and no doubt he loves her. But his heart also ached for Keith, and now he's back, he couldn't wait to feel him again.

He also wanted to touch his hair too, how it has grown much. But Katie's hand almost had his hair on her own. Her brushings finally made Keith's face crumpled that Katie stopped touching his hair.

It took him a minute or so for his eyes to flutter open, and as soon as his purple eyes adjusted to the light, the first face he saw was something that lingered his memory.

He tried to talk. "L... La--"

"Oh my God, Keith, finally!" Katie blocked Keith's vision as she went too close to his face and was in tears.

"Katie, chill," Lance tried to settle her down, "he needs air."

She later calmed herself as she stepped back, brushing her own strand of hair to let him see her face, allowing Keith to finally see them both. The moment his brain started to register their faces, he could feel the spark rushed through his nerves, remniscing their memories together, slowly but surely.

But what made his eyes filled with tears was when he finally saw Lance again.

"Lance...?" He started to recall. "Katie...? H-how the--"

"Welcome back, buddy," Lance was also crying. "You owe us three years worth of explanation. And you have the entire night to do so."

*****

_At a hotel._

"Are you saying that he's not there!?" A regal-looking man with tanned skin and long, white hair was talking to someone on the phone and seems aggravated. "If you think that he's not there, look for a way to find him! He's just hiding somewhere! Don't you dare come back without him _alive!_ "

He furiously slammed the button on his phone, sat down and tries to calm down.

Lotor has not been in Little Tokyo for a week and he already faced some problems like a failed transaction and a missing member of his group. His original plan was to relax after business, but he didn't expect for things to fail in only a night. He decided to watch TV, maybe he could catch his favorite series there.

But the moment he turned the TV on...

_An alleged illegal transaction was foiled after being caught by members of San Diego Police Department who received a tip from an anonymous source. In an interview with Inspector Allura Alton, she managed to shoot one of the members of Tora-Chou, an international yakuza group with operations outside of Nagasaki, and they currently have some members at hand. The said member remained on the loose as he has been continuously searched by the--_

Out of anger, Lotor shuts down the TV and threw the remote control at it.

"I believe I have already warned you about this, my Prince?"

Lotor didn't respond right away and instead, glared at the seemingly mystic woman because of the hood that she wore atop of her kimono, thus her face seemed hidden. It is either he didn't pay attention or he preferred not to listen at all.

"Did you do anything funny to justify your vision," he asked, "Honerva?"

The woman in kimono named Honerva just scoffed at his speculation. "It's either you didn't pay attention or you're highly terrified of my visions. We all knew what my capabilities are."

"Why would I admit that I'm terrified at your visions? You know me, I hate being directed by what they call _fate_."

"Yet it was _fate_ that you've met this young man and encouraged him to join you."

She was talking about Keith, and of course, Lotor extended his hand to help him, whatever that is.

"What I have offered is genuine," he claimed. "His brother helped me once years ago, it's just my turn to do something regarding his brother--"

"In exchange for helping his brother, you offered _this_ job, I presume?"

Lotor couldn't help but to remember what happened three years ago. And he hates to admit it, it was Honerva who indirectly suggested to take Keith under his wing.

*****

_Nagasaki, three years ago._

Lotor's father, the _oyabun_ who was only known as Zarkon, just died of an unknown sickness, and he was required to be in that very hospital to formally pass the leadership of the Tora-Chou group. He couldn't care much about it. After all, he had wished for a long time for that old man to die.

Honerva, the said mystic in the group, has foreseen his death, so she wasn't surprised at all. What Lotor couldn't understand is to why everything should be done in the hospital, and not within their ancestral headquarters. 

As he was sitting in the corridor waiting for anything to be prepared for the funeral, Honerva came back with a seemingly scrawny young man in a burgundy hoodie, his face hidden. He raised his eyebrow.

"Master Lotor," she called, "I know that you're mourning at this point, but as the new leader, I believe it's time for you to take action."

"Such as?" He eyed on Honerva -- but his eyes averted to the boy who has just removed his hoodie, and from there, he gazed at the most beautiful face he had ever seen. But his heart just broke to see said face soaked in tears.

"Who is he?" He got curious.

"You probably know Takashi Shirogane," Honerva reminded him.

"Ah, yes, he's a classmate of mine back at the university. I guess I don't have to ask you how you know about it."

"Apparently he met an unfortunate accident and he is currently confined in this very hospital. He barely survived."

The news suddenly took his attention.

"I have his brother with me. Since you knew him from your university days, I thought of bringing him to you as your first duty as the leader."

Lotor stood up and looked at Keith closely, inspecting him from head to toe. Even with such baggy clothes, his face was strikingly beautiful, if not for those puffy eyes due to tears.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Keith," the boy croaked.

"I learned that your brother is in this hospital. Is that happened to be Takeshi Shirogane?"

He nodded slowly.

"I happened to be his classmate years ago. Can I see him?"

Keith nodded again, leading Lotor to an ICU where his brother was still under observation.

Once again, and as he hated to admit, Honerva is right. In the ICU window, he saw his ex-classmate, Shiro, for the first time in years. Surviving only on an oxygen mask, an IV and several cables attached to his muscular body, he didn't expect that they will meet again on the wrong time, which he finds it more shocking than his own father's death.

"I have no idea that Shirogane has a brother," Lotor said.

"He adopted me five years ago," Keith replied.

"I've figured. His only brother died of an accident too, as far as I know. Are his parents aware of this?"

"Shiro said that they have disowned him after his brother died and took teaching rather than running their business. I don't know their numbers, but I have no plans of calling them if I do."

His puffy eyes tear up again.

"I dunno what to do anymore. He saved me once. I wanna do the same thing. But I dunno what I can give. I can work but I don't wanna leave him here."

It made him think if he want to thank that mystic for this or everything was just a coincidence. He couldn't just leave a boy as pretty as him alone figuring out on what he can do, which gave him an idea.

"Do you want to work with me?"

Keith look at him.

"I have enough to bring him back to your home. But will you agree at the price?"

"Anything!" Keith faced him. "Tell me."

*****

_The rest is history._

In exchange for bringing Shiro back, Keith agreed to become part of Tora-Chou as their prized assassin. Lotor has no complaints. He is a fast learner and can finish a job without any issues. He is, indeed, indebted to his savior, and to Lotor, for keeping his promise. 

And the reason why he didn't come back is because of Shiro's critical condition. The doctors once told him that it might take a while before he could be cleared to be returned to San Diego, so he stayed in Nagasaki for three years, serving Lotor while waiting for Shiro to wake up. 

It only happened that an important international transaction (which failed thanks to the police) happened in Little Tokyo and Lotor required his service, which led him back, unexpectedly.

"So that's why you didn't come back," Lance understood. "But you should have called or emailed us, you know--"

"Bullshit."

The two looked at Katie, scowling after hearing Keith's side of the story. As usual, Lance didn't like the way she reacted about it, although he could understand why.

"So you're finding his story unbelievable?" Lance guessed. "Great--"

"Those are the best doctors around, why can't they do anything for your brother?" Katie began to reason out. "Either they're incompetent or your brother's just living a king's life, either way, it's his fault that you have to leave us behind--"

"If there's something about you that didn't change at all," Keith stared at her pitifully, "is how you see things your own."

"I don't think there's something wrong with what I've said. Do you know the word 'practicality'? Your brother's a healthy, working adult before that shitty accident and I'm saying that in that case, you could entrust him to those doctors so you can come back--"

"Still selfish as ever, huh?"

"Excuse me!?" She stood up. "If I'm being selfish, it's because I -- no, _we're_ freakin' worriedsick about you for three fucking years! You're the one being selfish--!"

"Guys, guys," Lance decided to become the middleman between the two when things started to heat up between them, "we're at a hospital, okay? Katie," he looked at her, "it's obvious that Keith's still sick, so try to be easy on him. Keith," and he looked at him, "just bear with her, she really missed you, so--"

Thank God for Lance, both thought, as they decided to calm themselves and call it quits for now. As usual, both have their pride held and none of them ever wanted to say sorry.

As Keith calmed himself, he noticed Katie's right hand: there is a ring placed on its middle finger. He couldn't be wrong, that he dared to ask her:

"So who's the sane -- I mean, lucky guy?" 

Katie heard him and smirked when she guessed that he was asking about the ring she was wearing. "Glad you've asked," she said. "We're so excited to see you again that we totally forgot to tell you..."

She clung to Lance's arm.

"Guess who's the lucky guy?" She winked.

Keith was speechless, but not because of happiness. While Lance couldn't say anything. Only Katie seems happy about it and she couldn't care less about how both boys exactly feel.

He looked at Lance, then at Katie's ring. He could feel his injury worsening because of pain slowly crawling in his heart. Thinking about it, he started to slowly agree at her that he should have called or emailed them right away -- or even pay them a visit when there was time. Circumstances only prevented him from leaving Nagasaki and Shiro behind.

"Uhm, Keith," Lance finds it awkward, especially when he is the one who has to confirm the news to him, "I... I'm sorry if--"

"Wow. Congrats!"

The taller man wasn't sure if Keith was sincere about it, or just like him, he was just faking it. He surely proposed to Katie, no doubt, but things will definitely change now that the person he loved the most is back.

"Keith?" He just wanted to confirm if his hunch is true.

"I mean it. Congratulations," he smiled at them. "Guess some things change, huh--"

"You don't have to fret about it," Katie was still hugging Lance on his back, intending to show her affection to her fiancé in front of her other best friend. "You can choose between being his best man or you can propose to me, too--"

"Katie, that's crazy, and that's wrong."

This time, Lance sternly gave her a short lecture about it, and strangely, she obeyed.

"If you're really smart, you know that you can't have two. I'm glad that you love Keith, too, but chill -- I'm your future husband now."

She just looked sideways, avoiding Lance's stares as she could feel her cheeks burning in shame. Keith just chuckled.

Before she could even defend herself, she felt her phone vibrating. Probably a text or a call, which Lance guessed it was something they have waited for.

"Maybe that's from that university," he guessed. "Come on, babe, it's your chance."

Hesitant, but knowing that Lance has been working hard for her to be sent to college, she stood up and excused herself, leaving the two alone... Finally.

It took both of them ten long seconds before one of them could speak. Lance was about to explain, but--

"I'm happy for you," Keith said, avoiding his eyes. "I'm serious. I guess I've missed a lot--"

"I did that to protect her," Lance began to explain. "So many things happened when you're gone. I thought marrying her will settle everything--"

"Are you saying that I shouldn't have come back--?"

"Fuck, no! Besides, Katie's happy, too. But's not about me and her...

It's about me and _you._ "

He reacted when Lance held his hand.

"She loves both of us. In her own fantasies, she wanted to marry the both of us. Don't get me wrong, I love her, I'm sure you're feeling the same thing to her, but--"

"Why can't you just get straight at me and say you love me more than her!? You're only making things complicated--"

"That's the thing, this _is_ complicated. Katie has zero fucking idea about _us_ , so where and what do you think is the complicated part?"

He didn't answer, either he tried to look into the complicated part of their situation or he couldn't think about it at all.

Lance held his hand tighter. "I love you both, but when it comes to you, it's different. It's just," he bit his lip, "after you left, I thought Katie will never recover from it. So I can't afford to come out to her because she'll think we're betraying her on her back. You know her, her world only revolves around the three of us. When you left, she...

She tried to kill herself. And there was also a time that she almost got raped when I wasn't there."

He might not be within his face, but Keith held Lance's hand as tight as he could, as he slowly understood, and tries to understood -- the reason that he sees marriage as an obligation to Katie, just like what they have promised to her brother.

"When's the wedding?" Keith asked.

"We're planning to do it after Christmas," Lance replied.

"Sweet," he smiled bitterly. "Probably at that time, I'm not here anymore."

His eyes widened as he looked at him. "No way, don't tell me--"

"You have an obligation, I have mine. We're just... Doing what we need to do," he was shaking. "Shiro needs me, Katie needs you--"

"She needs you, too!"

"It's you who just said that we can't live in the same room once you get married. We're not the same anymore, Lance. I," he clenched the blanket on his lap, "I left you in the first place. Maybe it's time that--"

Lance hugged him. So tight that Keith couldn't breathe. Almost. But it has been three years since he felt that kind of warmth and he missed it so much. He replied with a hug, competing with him in terms of strength.

"L-Lance," Katie suddenly came back, "there are police outside, they're looking for--"

She could feel her heart shattering again. She was betrayed for the second time -- but she wasn't sure how many times now, actually. But on that scene alone, she could tell thar between her and Keith, Lance would most likely cheat on her, just for him.

She never felt as disgusted at before.

Before she could even call their names again, the police didn't mind as they went inside, headed by Detective Allura, whom she later caught their attention.

"We got information that a member of Tora-Chou was taken here," she said.

Lance immediately shielded Keith from the police. "You won't take him anywhere," he said. "You're maybe beautiful, but no -- you don't know the entire story--"

"Keith!?"

The three blinked. Obviously, the said officer knows him for some reason.

Keith peeked a bit. "You know my name?" He asked.

"You're... You're a member of Tora-Chou? Impossible," she tried to go closer. "I promised to Shiro to find and get you if anything happens to him--!"

"W-wait," he pointed at her. "Y-you know my brother?"

Allura nodded. "I'm his supposed fiancée."

No one reacted. Things got more complicated when this Detective Allura Alton showed up supposedly to arrest Keith, but things took a strange turn when she revealed that she was also connected to Shiro in some way, in which the raven-haired was far more surprised to find out that his brother was supposed to get married before the tragedy.

*****

Thanks to Honerva's tip (and meddling), Lotor decided to find Keith by himself.

"Are you certain to find that boy in all hospitals in this place?" She asked.

"Judging by his voice," he replied, "he is hurt. And there's only one nearest hospital that he can go to," he adjusted his coat, and was about to get his fedora, but--

"I'm sure that you're not the one who's looking for him. Remember that even the police are eager to see not just him."

He knows that fact. The police, at this point, are probably hunting for Tora-Chou members still, and they have the entire night to clean up Little Tokyo. But will they have an idea if those faces are hidden? They won't be sure, either, once they see his face.

With that, he took his hat, and went off, without a word, and again, ignoring Honerva's warning.

*****

Until they got home, none of them uttered a single word.

The night gave them pleasant and unpleasant surprises to the point that they don't know anymore what to say or feel. They are supposed to be happy that Keith is back, but behind that, he already signed a contract with the devil and he couldn't go back anymore even if he wanted to. Even Lance was also tied to his so-called obligation to Katie.

Katie was also strangely quiet, in which her fiancé finds it unsettling, knowing her. Deep inside, she already has enough.

The moment they reached home, Katie went straight to the kitchen, which Lance didn't notice due to exhaustion, that he went straight to their room. As he took his jacket and shoes off, his first plan is to sleep and not to be disturbed...

But Katie came in right away, slammed the door and locked it.

Lance sighed, he knows what locking the door means. "Not now," he said, voice even as exhausted as him--

"I've had enough," Katie said, her voice low but shaking in rage.

"Enough of what--?"

"I'm not fucking dumb, Lorenzo McClain!"

His eyes almost popped to see Katie holding a knife, and strangely, the point was not aiming at him, but at her own neck. He have seen this scene before, and this time, he's not that half surprised.

"Three years," she started to sob. "I pretended to be clueless for three fucking years. Do you think I don't know the score between you and Keith!?"

His face slowly changed, as he began to understood why. What was thought between a secret between two 'best friends' have been exposed for a long time without the both of them realizing it.

"You told me that I'm smart," she said as she kept the knife point closer to her neck. "I'm more than that, babe."

"Katie, drop the knife," Lance begged--

"YOU drop the act. You and Keith -- YOU'RE BOTH DISGUSTING!"

He bit his lip as he suddenly tore his eyes away from her.

"I saw everything," she sobbed as she told him what she saw at that time. "You held him... You fucked him with more feelings than how you fuck me... I've waited for Keith thinking that I can save him... I understand now..."

"It's not what you think," Lance tried to explain. "Of course I love you--"

"Bullshit," she pointed at her neck that it started to bleed. "Complete bullshit. The promise you gave me when you said you gonna marry me -- is that also a fucking bullshit!? TELL ME!"

"Katie, you're bleeding--"

"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "If you only wanted to marry me out of pity, you should have left me for dead! You should have left me getting raped by a psycho! Keith didn't care about me anymore, I've wasted three years waiting..."

"You know that I did that to protect you! Just like you, I also love Keith! Why can't you--"

"I don't even want him in my life anymore... He left us... He chose to leave... Y-you're the only man who stood for me, Lance..."

She intended to prick the bleeding neck in front of him, unmindful of the pain.

"Are you planning to leave me too...?"

Lance couldn't answer. If there is something that Katie is very good at, it's manipulating his emotions, forcing him to weight on what is important. He has to admit, his feelings for Keith is stronger, and now Katie knows and as usual, she was triggered by it, it is forcing him to decide on what to do, and who he has to choose.

His promise to Matt is what binding him.

"You know that I can't leave you," he assured. "I already made my word."

"Prove it," Katie said.

He sighed, as he was about to give up. "I already made my promise, just drop the knife and promise me not to hurt yourself again--"

"That's not enough," she raised her voice, the knife was still pointed on her neck, but at least the point is already three centimeters away from her skin.

"Tell me what to do," he shook. "What do you want me to do so I can convince you that I'm sincere?"

Katie slowly gave a wry smile. "Strip."

He knew it.

Instead of protesting, Lance just followed Katie's order. He sighed, as he started to lift his shirt up and tossed it away, followed by his pants. He stopped when he was only left with boxers, for Katie, that is already enough.

"Good boy," she said. "On the bed."

He followed as he climbed to their bed, back rested on the riled headboard. 

Still with a knife pointing on her neck, Katie rummaged the drawer beside the bed, and pulled out two pairs of handcuffs. Lance knows that she is into this kind of stuff, so he wasn't that surprised at all.

"Hands up," she ordered again. He followed, both arms raised, with two hands holding to the headboard rails. She cuffed each hand to the rails, after that she climbed to his stomach, putting the knife aside before removing her dress, revealing to him in her most intimate pair of underwear that she recently bought. 

Without further ado, she started to kiss his lips as passionate as she wanted, while running her hand through his chest. As her hand decided to take a break, she picked up the knife again, and started to scratch his left cheek. Small traces of blood started to form as the edge slowly cutting through his skin, leaving him wincing in pain while struggling to breathe with his lips locked on hers. 

"I bet you feel it, she whispered in between breaths. "It's not that painful on my part, but at least you can feel the pain that I had before."

"S-stop it," he breathe. "If you're planning to get fucked, just do it--"

She shook her head as she cupped his jaws. "We're not even started! I thought you said you'll do anything to convince me?" 

She licked his scratched cheek, tasting the blood dripping on it, before her tongue ran through his neck, down to his chest, until it settles on his sunken nipple, while her free hand travelled to his thigh up to his crotch, as she caressed his limp, clothed cock while settling herself in taking his heat.

"Baby, you're so beautiful," she praised him, the fingers of her other hand strumming the firm muscle of his shoulder. "I don't understand why you've wasted your body on a _guy_?"

Lance just looked on the other side, trying not to answer and instead, let her play with his body. After all, _this_ is what Katie wanted him to do. Thinking that she got ignored, she pulled down his boxers to show his not-so-erect member waiting to be touched, in which she was happy to oblige. 

"Guess what?" She breathe into his ear again as she started to pump his cock up and down. "I'm going to make sure that tonight, you're going to forget about Keith, and focus on _me_ instead."

Lance started to moan and huffed as Katie began to force his cock to stimulate. He could feel his cheeks burning while a tear almost escaped from his blue eyes. She finds his reaction so cute that she pecked on his cheek.

"I never realized you're this cute until now," she giggled, until an idea came to her mind, so she has to go off, leaving Lance totally exposed and gasping for air. She opened another drawer and stopped a bit to see something that can add up to her brand of fun.

He may have no idea what her plan was, but he prayed in silence to be over. They do have sex, but not to the extent that will resort to hurt the other. Tonight was different. He never agreed to it in the first place after he saw Keith again, but Katie is a different case. 

Her mental instability made her into a controlling freak who will use whatever means to bring him to his knees -- even if this will mean forcing him to have sex with her.

Katie got up with something on the other hand, as she seductively walked towards her tied-up boyfriend waving the said thing. It made Lance's eyes pop upon seeing the object.

"I bought this last month," Katie said playfully, "and it's the best shit ever. It's about your size. So whenever I feel lonely or you don't feel like having fun, I always have this..."

She later picked her phone, set up the speakers and started to play the entire track of Madame Butterfly on shuffle, loud enough so no neighbor would hear Lance scream.

"I just think that you're fucking me deep when I have this," she pertained to the blue vibrator that she just set aside, "but an imitation is still an imitation. I still prefer a real cock over a toy."

She picked the dildo again and crawled back on top of him, as she softly kissed his lips as chaste as she could, trying to play innocent as some child who loves to explore.

"Come to think of it," Katie examined the toy, "I actually never had proper sex with you -- if you know what I mean. I don't get it. Why do you use a condom on me while you didn't use one when you fucked Keith? Because I'm a girl and he's a guy? Bullcrap logic--"

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Lance tried to redeem himself in some way, but--

"Nah, no need," Katie hushed him, "I get it, anyway, I understand. That's why..."

She took a lube out of nowhere and poured it on a toy, which made Lance terrified. Before Katie could tell what her plan is...

"No, please," he shook his head. "Anything but--"

"But what?" She blinked. "You said you'll do anything. That means you'll take _anything_ , right?" She suddenly pouted. "You're really not that sincere when it comes to promises."

" _This_ is fucking wrong, Katie," he started to shake. "Stop this--!"

"We're not even on the middle part yet! Admit it, you wanted Keith more than me. He can't even get pregnant, stupid!"

"That's not--" before he could finish, Katie pointed her knife again, this time, at the tip of Lance's nose, threatening to cut him if he won't agree. She grinned innocently.

"I heard that you usually bottoms when you have sex with him," she remembered that fateful night when he and Keith had sex for the last time. "I wanna see your face while you do that."

Without prepping him at all, Katie aimed the toy in Lance's hole before she pushed it in, making the latter scream. But his screams timed with the part where Pinkerton and Butterfly sang about their first night together.

"N..no...! K-Katie...!" He sobbed.

But she played deaf as she started to feast herself on his cock which started to throb the moment she forced to toy in, while playing with his balls with her free hand and thrusting the toy in him on the other -- without caring if he is starting to bleed from his ass. While she shoved her own ass to his face, forcing him to pull her panties on one side with his teeth to lick her own hole.

"What a good boy!" She gave a high-pitched voice when she felt his tongue on her dripping hole. "You know how to do your job...!"

She resumed in sucking his cock while ramming the toy inside him, letting him feel a mix of pleasure and pain. Lance couldn't explain the sensation as his dick slowly grows in her mouth, which added to her excitement. Both are about to lose it until both reached their orgasm together. 

Katie swallowed the cum as much as her mouth could take it, licking her hands afterwards, while Lance also tasted hers -- but didn't dare licking it from his lips.

"Are you ready?" She faced him, cum still smeared on her face, but as he faced him...

He was in tears.

Remorse crept in Katie's heart to see her beloved cry. She cupped his cheeks again and peppered him with kisses, but leaving the toy buzzing and stil stuck in his hole.

"No, baby, don't cry," she cooed him. "You're doing a great job. I can now feel how sincere you are. I wanna reward you."

"Katie, please," Lance sobbed. "N-no--"

"Alright," she whispered, in which he wasn't sure if that means she will finally stop of that will mean something else. But then, while riding on his stomach, she unhooked her strapless bra and tossed it away, followed by kicking her panties off, before positioning her already-wet pussy to the tip of his leaking member.

Lance couldn't help but to shake his head and shut his eyes away. This is the 'reward' that Katie was planning to give all along.

"I wanna have your baby," she said. "That I can make sure you'll remember me. And _not him._ "

She started to push her hole towards the tip, making sure he wil take everything inside her. Lance refused to look, even if he started to feel her insides warming him up. The said girl didn't like how he reacted when he was already inside of him that she grabbed his jaw and forced to look at her face.

"Look at me," she demanded. "Proper sex etiquette, sweetie. Look your partner in her eyes if you really love her."

Lance loves her, no doubt, but not in the way she treats him like her slave, and that was something he wished he could let her understand. But at her state, Katie wouldn't want anything but his cock and his seed, just to seal her _ownership_ of him.

Katie started to bounce on his cock, as she determined to make him come again, while she sets the dildo in full mode as it vibrates in Lance's abused hole. Lance has no choice but to grasp for air, as she tries to push him to his limit like a succubus. She leaned closer to him as she rocked her hips harder and faster, making sure that his lips are close at least to one of her perked nipples, obliging him to suck and pull as her rhythm goes on. 

"Drink up, baby," she cooed him again. "Make sure you drink a lot."

His head begins to spin, forcing him not to think straight as he is starting to see stars while being obliged to suck his small breast which made her scream in ecstacy. She later gave her other breast to be sucked next. When she felt enough, she took her turn in massaging his chest and teasing its nubs while riding him. Lips clashed again, tongues dancing together inside their mouths, as Lance could feel his wrists forming scratches from being cuffed tightly.

Katie enjoyed hearing her boyfriend groan and gasp while fucking her and being fucked at the same time. The cool air within the room heated up as their sweat mixed together and slick mix together, creating an intoxicating atmosphere, which drives Katie wild and Lance more insane.

"K-Katie," he panted. "G-get off...! I-I... I'm about to--"

"M-me too," she replied with a gasp. "D-don't be scared..."

"N-no," he shook his head, "y-you don't--"

She screamed in delight, while Lance gritted his teeth and sobbed. It was too late.

Katie could feel her womb being filled with his cum, and she never felt happier unlike before where Lance has to wear protection. While Lance could feel himself shooting his seed within her, something that he actually avoided to happen. She collapsed to his chest afterwards, smiling as she lets herself rest while his cock was still inside of her.

Lance had lost his energy and will to talk nor to beg for her that it will be enough. All his mind could say was sorry, but not to her.

_Keith,_ his thought mourned as he slowly drifted away, _I'm sorry..._

*****

Back at the hospital, Keith was, again, left alone in his room.

His one hand was cuffed to the rail of his bed, without a word, without even a care. He can only think about his childhood friends who he never thought he will see again...

Especially Lance.

However, for him, it is too late to turn things back to the way it was. Lance and Katie are getting married, while he might not be staying in San Diego for that long. His original plan was to go back to Nagasaki for his comatose brother and to pay his debt to Lotor...

That was until Detective Allura show up.

_An hour ago._

After Lance and Katie left, as per police order, Allura took a chance to talk to the confined young man.

"So that's why I haven't heard of him for a while," she remained calm after learning the story. "We... We were supposed to get married once he gets back. But," she looked at Keith, "why wagering your life to Tora-Chou!?"

"Their leader happened to be his ex-classmate," Keith admitted. "I didn't plan on asking help until someone offered me--"

"You said that Shiro is still in Nagasaki. I'll use my connection to transfer him here--"

"It's not that simple. The doctors told me that it will be critical if we'll force him back here. Besides, I'm at debt. I'm not the type who runs away from debts..."

_Also, there's no reason for me to come back here._

"Do you hear yourself!?" Allura touched his hand. "That group's well-known for luring people like you in a trap! What do you think is the reason why they picked _you_ , of all people!? You've almost lost everything for three years--!"

"Correction: I _already_ have lost everything."

She stopped arguing with him, thinking that she had already explained her side. She sighed.

"I should have met and known you earlier," she said. "More than that, I should have been with Shiro when he left three years ago. At least in that way, both of you will remain safe and nothing on your lives will be compromised."

Keith could feel her remorse about what happened. It was just that it didn't occur to him to escape just to go back and turn things right. He is stuck in a web, and he is aware of it, but he doesn't want her to get disappointed as well.

So he thought of a ridiculous proposal. "Arrest me."

She blinked.

"Right now, I'm still considered on the loose for being here. I'm still tied to Tora-Chou. But if you'll arrest me, at least you can take me anytime and I can also visit Shiro. But only do that if you'll promise to do whatever you can to save him."

_She did put him under hospital arrest._

Keith is now considered protected by the San Diego Police, but due to his past crimes, he was arrested -- as he requested -- to let Allura and her crew do anything for his brother.

Despite that, he already made up his mind to leave for good and to leave Lance and Katie live happily ever after. Spending nights with Lance at that time is enough for him to move on that watching him getting married to someone with an unstable mental health. If Lance decided to marry her out of protection, he will definitely understand.

He stared at the cuffs and tried to smile, but his emotions began to stir up.

_Lance,_ his heart whispered. _I'm sorry..._

Unknown to him, Lotor has been monitoring the entire hospital, waiting for a chance to break in and save him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a horrible smut writer, I know. To top it up, it is non-consentual. And I finished it by midnight my time when I should be sleeping.
> 
> Be sure to check the tags before reading.
> 
> And again, kudos and comments are highly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> I... Can't believe I wrote it.
> 
> Anyway, I'll be posting the second chapter in a little while. But I have to fix the tags because for some reason it won't let me enter my own.
> 
> Once again, comments and kudos are welcome. Hate will _never_ be tolerated.


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